Sunrise

Sometimes its worth piling on blankets and sitting on the deck in below freezing weather.

Thanksgiving

I still have tons more Central America pictures that I need to post, but for right now here's something more current. Late fall in Southern Utah is absolutely stunning, and as this year beckoned no early snow we were able to do a couple nice hikes around Zion.

                            

 These last two are actually from Coral Pink Sands state park on the border of Utah and Arizona.

 Sunrise near the St. George airport.

"Why have just one?"

Pacific-Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio claims to be the most visited national park in Costa Rica--a feat that creates questionable bragging rights and visible consequences. We were lucky enough to visit during the rainy season, and a not very rainy one at that, meaning that number of tourists was relatively low.

These guys were everywhere, alongside capuchin monkeys and tropical raccoons. 

The exit of the park was flanked by a shallow river where men with boats offered to ferry you across for a low fee, thereby protecting you from the apparent multitude of crocs in the waters. After we declined such a generous offer they admitted that the crocs were only way upstream and of no threat whatsoever. The impact of intense tourism was pretty clear with such entrepreneurial businesses popping up everywhere.

This macaw wasn't actually in the park, but close enough for it to count. 

Mariposa

Besides having a very clichéd love of butterflies, mariposa is one of my favorite spanish words. Here are some butterflies from central america.

Red.White.Black

Just to break up any potential monotony of nature or central america, here are some recent shots of Natasha. She's among the most artistic people I know, and her aesthetic eye (as well as make-up skills) help create professional sets out of any location.

Caribbean

Rastafarian vibes, friendly people, clear-sparkling water and dark mangrove jungle make up the Caribbean coast of both Panama and Costa Rica

And of course, very very strange animals

(Caiman croc in front of some sunbathing turtles)

These last two are from Tortugero, a place only reachable by three buses and two boats. The small town is alight with music at all times of the day, and the jungle alongside the rivers is vast enough to encompass and hide the many resorts which boast of turtle spotting and luxury pools. 

Bocas del Toro, Panama, where a Kuna native sells representations of their traditional clothing. Bocas seemed to exist somewhere between laid-back paradise and Australian-filled party land. Luckily a middle ground exists, and we were able to explore the beautiful snorkeling, starfish beaches and dolphin infested waters as well as chill at some of the most interesting bars I've ever been to. 

(Guanabana-excellent in batidos)

And of course it always help if you end up in paradise with absolutely amazing people. 

Highlands

Although the names Costa Rica and Panama may conjure up white-sand beaches and palm tree ridden coastlines, I found the highland in between the two coasts to be particularly inspiring. A cooler interlude between the sweltering heat of the Caribbean and Pacific sides, the intense greenery and ever-lasting dew of the highlands reminded me of a sort of fairy land.

Probably the most known highland forest is that of Monteverde. Monteverde is a cloud forest, which essentially means you're walking through fog, mist, and moss while attempting to spot the elusive quetzal (a bird claimed to be the 'most beautiful bird')

And of course, cocktails in treehouses. 

Rincon de la Viaje. Another photo from that national park can be found here. Its a volcano whose main attractions include weird melting pots of sulfuric acid. 

In Panama, El Valle provided a welcome interlude between the humid heat of the coasts. The town itself has, as many do, one main road two main attractions. One was  a walk through waterfalls, the other a 'spa treatment', which basically meant you sat in a large rusty tub with mud on your face (something about volcanic minerals). 

I also took a quick spanish course in the town of Boquete, a place famed for its beautiful coffee farms and 'snowbirds', aka Canadian ex-pats fleeing the cold of winter. I enjoyed the coffee more than the Canadians, but either way the town had a lot of charm.